Development of herbal teabag products based on regional potency to improve forest communities’ welfare

Abstract

On May 10, 2019, the Directorate General of Sustainable Production Forest Management with online shopping @shopee_id began collaboration to promote and market Non-Timber Forest Products in order to improve Indonesian economic. The potential of non-timber forest products in East Kalimantan, Indonesia is abundant, especially the utilization as medicinal plants based on local wisdom, such as in Merabu village, Berau district, and Dilang Puti village, West Kutai district, East Kalimantan. Traditional medicinal products tend to be less regulated and have no selling value. This study aims to develop herbal teabag products, beginning from production process, the cost of production, brand naming, and to strengthening an organization for manage or manufacture herbal teabags from these two villages. Merabu has high potential of gaharu (Aquilaria malaccensis), karamunting (Melastoma malabatricum), and ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri). The product made is prima tea, with main ingredients of mixed leaves of A. malaccensis, R. tomentosa and a little amount of E. zwageri powder as a dye. Meanwhile, Dilang Puti has high potential of laban (Vitex pubescens), and ginger (Zingiber officinale). Thus, a tea product namely Pusaka tea is introduced, with the main ingredients of mixed inner bark of V. pubescens and Z. officinale powder. All processing implements a cooperative model to produce herbal teabags, with raw materials taken from members’ garden. The product manufacturing training process tends to be faster and easier, while naming is quite long due to a common name should recognized by all parties, beginning from young people, general public, and customary elders. Furthermore, herbal tea bag products are packaged and sold through established organizations, which then have a positive impact on local communities’ income.